Please get an ergonomic computer desk | Hacker News Reader

Please get an ergonomic computer desk

deskfair.com

15 pointsdasboot21 comments

My treadmill desk, built from a $400 walmart treadmill, pieces of my former Ikea 'Jerker' desk, and a $30 metal shelf from Costco.

http://letterblock.com/images/treadmill_desk.jpg

So obviously I can do walking at various speeds and inclines (usually 2 mph at 4 degrees) or standing. I have an ergo standing mat that I put on top of the treadmill if I'm going to be standing for a bit. Whenever I get the rest of this office cleaned up enough, I'll look for a small easy chair for occasional resting or iPad use. Off camera there's also a stand fan, which you may need if you walk for hours and your office window faces south in Florida. (My office has always been hot, and I find that moving actually makes it more bearable.)

How do you find coding while walking? It seems like one's body would jostle too much to be able to concentrate well.

I often pace while thinking. An ongoing frustration for me has been having to sit down or otherwise stop to record what I'm thinking about. If you can't relate to that at all, then the treadmill desk might not be a good fit for you, or at least not for the same reasons it is for me.

This is something I want to experiment with as well. I tend to play music and shuffle, dance and pace around for movement while standing.

The thing that keeps me from going with a treadmill desk is that I switch from casual tasks (email, etc.) into highly focused work (coding, writing) seamlessly and for the focused tasks I prefer to sit most of the time, and even unplugging my laptop from speakers, power, monitor, etc. to take it to a chair or lower table just feels disruptive.

In terms of back health walking is hard to beat though. That's why I do my desk dances or even stand on unstable surfaces (a firm pillow or piece of foam in the simplest case) - to "diversify" my standing posture.

Coding while walking works fine for me. As far as the mechanics, it's not hard to walk and type at the same time. 2 mph isn't very fast. I can't draw with the mouse while walking, so the occasional graphics work has to be done standing.

Mentally, the consistent motion sometimes helps with flow, sometimes not. It's hard to tell, but switching between walking and standing seems to be enough for me to support the various required mental states. I've been doing this for about two months now, and while I have no hard data, I've done what I consider to be some of my best and most creative work ever in the last two weeks, so worst-case the walking isn't too great an obstacle to my coding.

And this is indeed a huge improvement for my back over both sitting and standing.

Another cheaper option is a standing desk with a high office chair. I used one of these for about two years and it did make a positive difference. You can stand or sit and it costs no more than a regular desk. (My workplace uses desks from Ikea, they are cheap and comfortable)

Unfortunately, I like to switch between 'sit', 'stand' and 'slouch'; slouch being reserved for when I'm really "in the zone". I missed that option and eventually went back to a sitting desk. I'd love to try one of these mechanical ones.

The slouching when in the zone is true for me as well, which is why the pure standing or standing / tall sitting are not a good option for me personally. They just kill certain types of productivity.

Adjustable sit-stand desks are just unbeatable in terms of being least disruptive. Whether the cost can be reasonably written off as an investment in better health and productivity really depends. Long term, I think it's very worth it, but the initial cost does sting somewhat.

What about standing desk + high bar stool style seat to rest your ass on?

My dad's drafting table setup was similar to this.

I've played with that setup as well and it works ok, but not great.

One problem is that the bar stools are hard to get on and then move to be positioned properly.

Another problem is that leaning against the edge often doesn't work well, because a) the chair keeps slipping back and b) you rest your butt on a narrow edge which presses on nerves, blood vessels and bones, making it very uncomfortable.

I've tried lab stools, ironing chairs, bar stools, etc. and the problems are similar. Drafting chairs could work, but are too short for me - made for tall sitting desks (drafting table), not standing height.

I can think of two potentially comfortable solutions I haven't really tried yet:

1. A thick, padded round bar like they have on the London tube and other trains to lean against. This could be mounted on a wall, which eliminates the sliding away problem.

2. There are (expensive) saddle chairs - where you sit upright on a wide and split bicycle type seat that puts you at ergonomically healthier angles (135 degrees from thigh to back instead of 90 degrees of "normal" sitting). No leaning/slouching possible on those though. Further problem: Sitting on your reproductive organs for long hours may be uncomfortable and unhealthy.

I made this site, trying to build a useful buying guide.

I'll be in and out, but feel free to ask any questions here or through the contact form on the site. I'll try my best to get back in a reasonable time frame.

I'd also appreciate any feedback on the technical/marketing aspects of the site.

Thanks! Ben

I think the products are too expensive. This guy made his own standing desk for $0.00 (reusing stuff lying around the house) and then added sit/stand capability by adding a drafting chair from Staples for about $120...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_houle/4681895723/

I agree, they are expensive, and I'm actually planning on adding a do-it-yourself section with solutions like the one you've referenced.

Some people pay a lot of money for fancy office chairs though (Aerons for example), and I'd always advise to go with a sit-stand desk.

Drafting chairs with a tall desk are certainly worth a try, but it can be difficult to impossible to get the same relative height sitting on the drafting chair and standing up - this can put your wrists at a very uncomfortable angle when typing for example. (I'm pretty tall, maybe that's why this hasn't worked so well for me).

I scanned the page for the word "Buy" on the left or top, hoping to find links to sites that sell ergonomic desks. Maybe it's just me, but I would find the left side more helpful if it was titled "Ergonomic Desks You Can Buy" or something similar, rather than just "The Desks" since those two words are so commonly used throughout the page.

Thanks. I took your suggestion verbatim. :)

Hey, are there any cheaper options that you have found? For example I would be happy with a desk that can be manually adjusted.

There are two significant aspects for these desks:

1. Do they cover the sitting and standing range (or just some variable sitting range)?

2. Can you adjust the height without taking everything off your desk?

Regarding 1: There are some desks with hand cranks that may be marginally cheaper - but the ones I can think of right now don't cover the standing range, they are only good for sitting positions for people of different heights.

Also, while there are some possibly cheaper ones, they look so flimsy and poorly constructed that I wouldn't recommend them for serious work, e.g., the frame is so weak that the desktop just wobbles and shakes at the slightest touch.

Regarding 2: Many cheaper desks have pin-based mechanisms. I used to have the Ikea Fredrik desk (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60111123), but I found that I never adjusted it, because taking everything off was too cumbersome. Then I had it at a standing height, and found standing all day too uncomfortable.

I will keep my eyes open and add more desks as I find them - if you come across anything, please pass it on.

I have been noticing some cheaper desks that cover 1 & 2 using google.

http://www.ergoindemand.com/pneumatic-sit-stand-adjustable-c...

http://www.amazon.com/Balt-Inc-Ergo-Easy-Workstation/dp/B000...

I also found a DIY tables, but it does'n quite fit #2. http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60365

This one does but the plans cost $17. http://www.leviteq.com/

All that ikea piece needs is pneumatic adjustment. It' amazing how difficult it is to find an adjustable desk in the right price point ($150-$400).

Yeah, these are definitely cheaper. I remember seeing these and similar ones before. I think they may be below satisfactory for professional use, though.

The range is a bit limited (29-39 inches - too tall for short people sitting and too short for tall people standing, but fine for the mid-range of body heights).

Also, these things look a bit flimsy (no information on load capacity) and a bit awkward to adjust (seems like you have to loosen grips on both legs and then move up/down.

I didn't include them on my site, because I really wanted to present desks that can satisfy serious desk workers (like most geeks).

The DIY one looks like fun, I've built my own furniture before. I'll add it to my future DIY section.

The one with the plan is an interesting idea, but unless building hardware is your hobby, probably not so feasible.

I agree that the prices seem really high. I've looked around a lot for any DIY height adjustment mechanisms to retrofit a regular desk, but finding "desk grade" pneumatic cylinders in retail is pretty difficult.

Yup, another maserati problem at hand judging from the prices. But, yeah an ergonomic workstation does make all the difference.

Can anyone recommend something that can be ordered in Europe (Germany) without paying a fortune in shipping costs?

The brand situation in Europe is very different. One of the cheaper ones that looks decent (haven't seen it IRL though), is the below for 499 Euros.

http://aktivshop.de/catalog/elektrisch-hhenverstellbarer-sch...

The following page has a listing, but I can't say anything about quality/credibility of products/suppliers:

http://www.bueromoebel-werksverkauf.de/inwerk_bm/steh-sitz-t...

If more people are interested I can investigate European options as well.

If you find anything, it would be nice if you could share it with me via the contact form on my site, so I can look into adding it.

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